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Google patent purchases continue with 1,023 more patents from IBM

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 15 Sep 2011 5:14 User comments (4)

Google patent purchases continue with 1,023 more patents from IBM Google is continuing their patent buying spree, acquiring more than 1,000 patents from IBM.
This is the second such deal between the two companies this year. Google bought 1,029 patents from IBM in July.

A partial list compiled by SEO by the Sea, includes patents related to scripting, phones, wireless, and web search.

You can find all the patents using the US Patent and Trademark Office's search page.

In recent months Google has spent billions of dollars buying patents in response to attacks on Android around the world by companies like Apple and Microsoft. They have gone so far as to buy Motorola Mobility primarily to acquire their patent portfolio.



As Android has become a serious threat to the iPhone's dominance in the smartphone market, Apple has engaged in a campaign to remove competing devices. Samsung's phones and tablets, in particular, have been targeted by Apple in countries including the US, Germany, Australia, and Japan.

Without a competitive product of their own in the smartphone market, Microsoft's strategy has been to force Android manufacturers to pay royalties for every phone.

Both companies were part of a coalition of companies who outbid Google for the patents formerly owned by Nortel Networks.

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4 user comments

115.9.2011 23:10
llongtheD
Inactive

These corporations buying up these large blocks of patents should be investigated at the least. Just as a monopoly is anti-competitive and stifles innovation, this will have the same effect in the long run.

216.9.2011 04:16

nah Google is smart think about it if apple or ms start charging a fee for Google to pay lets say 1 dollar all Google has to do is counter charge them the same amount so in the end they don't pay a cent to apple or ms its all a counter attack move on their part

316.9.2011 12:03
llongtheD
Inactive

Originally posted by deak91:
nah Google is smart think about it if apple or ms start charging a fee for Google to pay lets say 1 dollar all Google has to do is counter charge them the same amount so in the end they don't pay a cent to apple or ms its all a counter attack move on their part
Yeah its fine for the big boys with the large patent portfolios, what about a new upstart? You don't think they'll use these to squeeze out anyone new to the table? I'm not just talking about google either, but sony and ms and everyone else that's been on a patent buying frenzy lately.

417.9.2011 11:16
oappi
Inactive

Originally posted by llongtheD:

Yeah its fine for the big boys with the large patent portfolios, what about a new upstart? You don't think they'll use these to squeeze out anyone new to the table? I'm not just talking about google either, but sony and ms and everyone else that's been on a patent buying frenzy lately.
Usually no-one cares about new small companies enough to sue them unless you make product that truly is a copy of something already in the market. At least here insurance companies actually sell insurances against patent lawsuits. I think they cost like 1000€ a year. It is actually kind of slim change to get sued, until you really start making money and make name for your self. Luckily for google, they already had money so they could defend and not just give in, but i guess you could as well sell your own stocks if you don't have as much money as google to buy companies or their patents.

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